


Enchanted

by iwaoikawaii



Category: Free!
Genre: Birthday, Coffeeshop AU, First Meeting, Fluff, M/M, Slow Build, birthday mention, haru is in love at first sight i mean honestly who isn't, makoto is the barista of course, something lame and cute and gay for makoto's precious birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 02:23:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5230292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwaoikawaii/pseuds/iwaoikawaii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is taking too long, he thinks in annoyance, taking a single step forward. There’s still at least three people ahead of him and he’s tempted to leave when, “Oh my god, look at him. Isn’t he the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?” Haru hears the words from in front of him, and his curiosity gets the better of him and causes him to follow their gaze to the front of the line. They’re talking about the barista, at least that’s what Haru assumes because wow, they’re right.</p><p>He’s beautiful. </p><p>-------</p><p>Birthday fic for the precious Makoto Tachibana!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Enchanted

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE OF MY LIFE! In honor of the precious holiday that is Makoto Tachibana's birthday, I decided to write something with his husband. I'm actually kinda proud of this, so I hope y'all like it! Have the most perfect day, my precious angel. You deserve the world and more <3

**Day 1**

 

Haruka stands in line anxiously, face calm and relaxed, but the noises and people around him make him nervous. _Why_ did he even decide to come here? “Coffee will help wake you up for your classes, Haru-chan! It might even give you more energy to swim~” Nagisa’s voice echoes in his head, and Haru almost rolls his eyes just like he did when the blond said it to his face. But the possibility of having even _more_ energy to swim (how was that even _possible?_ ) is too much to resist, so here he is, in line with a mix of teens and people dressed up on their way to work. 

 

_This is taking too long_ , he thinks in annoyance, taking a single step forward. There’s still at least three people ahead of him and he’s tempted to leave when, “Oh my god, _look at him_. Isn’t he the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?” Haru hears the words from in front of him, and his curiosity gets the better of him and causes him to follow their gaze to the front of the line. They’re talking about the barista, at least that’s what Haru assumes because _wow_ , they’re right.

 

He’s beautiful. 

 

Haru can’t hear his voice over the talk of others, but he sees the man giving the customer a warm, welcoming smile, and the light above him almost makes his light brown hair shimmer. Haru coughs when he realizes he’s staring, quickly looking away and pulling out his phone for something to do. 

 

He decides to stay.

 

———

 

When his turn finally comes, he’s actually a little speechless. If he thought he was amazed before, he’s _definitely_ amazed now. 

 

“Good morning!” the barista says brightly, giving Haru that same warm, welcoming smile.He glances down and notices that his name tag says “Makoto.” _A girls name, like mine._  

 

“Sir?” Haru blinks, looking back up and realizes that _Makoto_ had spoken while he was lost in thought. “What can I get you?” he repeats, still smiling but, was it Haru or did he actually look a little worried now?

 

Haru clears his throat, glancing up at the menu. “Just a coffee,” he says without any real thought, pulling out his wallet.   
  
“Sure thing!” Makoto says cheerfully, worry gone. “Would you like that hot or iced?” _There’s a difference?_ Haru glances outside before answering.

 

“Hot. Please,” he mumbles, watching Makoto push the buttons on the screen before picking up a cup and a marker.   
  
“That’s the best choice for this cold front,” he comments with a smile, noticing Haru’s thick jacket. “And a name?” 

 

“Haru.” 

 

**Day 2**

 

Haru fidgets with the sleeve of his jacket as he waits in line, thankful that there’s only one person in front of him this time. He doesn't even understand why he’s here again; he felt more awake yesterday, but it didn’t help him swim any better. In fact, it just made him have to use the restroom more, which cut into his swimming time. 

 

And yet.

 

“Ah, good morning, Haru,” the barista from yesterday greets, giving the freshman a warm smile. “What can I get you today?” Haru swallows, feeling a little special that he’d remembered his name, but the thought only made him more nervous under Makoto’s gaze. He refuses to acknowledge the voice in the back of his head that said “ _that’s_ why you’re here.” 

 

“Just a hot coffee,” he manages to say smoothly, pulling his wallet out from his pocket. Makoto nods, picking up a cup and writing Haru’s name on it. 

 

“Do you want to add anything to it? Hazelnut cream or something?” Makoto suggests with a tilt of his head, holding the marker over the cup. Haru doesn’t really like hazelnut, but it sounds nice in Makoto’s voice. 

 

“Sure.” 

 

**Day 3**

 

When Haru walks into Starbucks for the third day in a row, he knows he has a problem. 

 

He’s goes back and forth with himself all the time. He argues that it’s helping him in class and even though he’s in college on a swimming scholarship, he needs to keep his grades up to compete, but the nagging voice in the back of his head reminds him he didn’t care until a few days ago. When he stands in front of Makoto again, watching his smile brighten just a little more than usual, his heart skips a beat and he quickly looks away.   
  
“Good morning, Haru,” Makoto greets just ask warmly, and Haru can actually feel his body start to get hotter. “It’s a little colder today, isn’t it? The cold always comes quickly right after Halloween,” he converses, and Haru wonders if he does this to all of his regulars. That’s what he is now, right? 

 

Haruka Nanase never thought he’d be a regular at a _Starbucks_.

 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Haru manages, looking up at him through his bangs a little shyly. He’s not good at talking with people, even people he’s known for years, but he doesn’t want Makoto to think negatively of him by not responding. 

 

“How did you like the creamer yesterday?” Makoto asks, picking up a cup and writing his name on it before look up at him. Haru wiggles his nose as he remembers the taste, and Makoto laughs lightly. “I see,” he says, looking at the bottles behind the counter. “I’ll have them put something else, okay? It’ll be a surprise. B-But you have to come back tomorrow and tell me how you like it,” Makoto says, his voice smooth but Haru notices his ears are a little pink. Haru dares to wonder if maybe he isn’t the only nervous one here. 

 

“Okay.” 

 

**Day 4**

 

Haru holds the strap of his messenger bag nervously as he walks into Starbucks, wondering if he’s a genius or an idiot for bringing his homework here. He tells himself it’s because he’s tired of hearing Nagisa’s comments; “Wow, Haru-chan! That’s your third coffee this week, you must really like it!”But the nagging voice in his head tells him he shouldn’t be ashamed of that either, so he’s not sure which is worse. 

 

But he couldn’t _not_ come when Makoto asked him to, right?

 

“Ah, hello Haru!” Makoto greets cheerfully, gracing Haru with a sweet, closed eyed smile. He finds it’s even warmer than the other. “I’m glad you came back,” Makoto says, letting out a sigh of relief before he can catch it. When he realizes what he says, his face tints a little and he looks nervous. “I-I mean I didn’t think you’d have time, or you’d remember, or,” his voice trails off, and he laughs nervously, looking away to hide his cheeks. 

 

“I said I would,” Haru mumbles, but he sounds a little amused at Makoto’s embarrassment. 

 

“R-Right! Of course you’d be a man of your word,” Makoto says, clearing his throat. He grabs a cup, focusing intently as he writes Haru’s name. “Same thing then? Did you like what I added?” he asks, finally glancing at Haru. Haru nods, looking at the display of food and missing Makoto’s relieved smile. 

 

“And a breakfast sandwich,” he says, pointing at the one on the left. “I’ll be here awhile,” he adds, not sure why he does but it’s the truth and that’s enough for him to not think of some other underlining meaning. Haru watches Makoto’s face visibly brighten, and he feels his heart skip a beat again when he smiles. 

 

“Sure thing!”

 

———

 

Haru tries very hard not to focus on Makoto, but he still catches himself watching him work and talk to other customers. A few times, Makoto actually catches him and gives him a shy smile, which only makes Haru flush and look back at his book. He tries to focus on his homework after the third time, and it works for about an hour until he feels a tap on his shoulder. He jumps a little and looks up, surprised to find green eyes looking down at him nervously. 

 

“Mind if I sit here? It’s my break and all the other tables are taken,” Makoto says with a nervous laugh, gesturing around them. Haru looks around, feeling his throat clench up from nerves and decides to nod instead of speak. He closes his laptop and pulls his books towards him, trying to make room for Makoto. “Ah, were you doing homework? I’m sorry, I can le-“

 

“No,” Haru says quickly, a little louder than he intended to. He clears his throat, blushing a little bit. “I need a break,” he adds quietly, looking up at Makoto shyly. Makoto blinks, looking surprised but he smiles happily and sits down in front of Haru. He sets his bag on the table and takes out the sandwich he has. 

 

“So you’re a student?” Makoto asks after a few moments of silence before taking a bite of his lunch. Haru nods, feeling his hands clam up because he _knows_ he won’t be able to hold a decent conversation with this man. So he sticks to what makes him most comfortable. 

 

“I’m here on a swimming scholarship,” he says with a nod, his voice more monotone than he’d like it to be. Makoto’s face visibly brightens, as if he sees Haru in a completely new light. 

 

“Really? I bet you’re really graceful in the water, Haru-chan,” Makoto says happily, taking another bite of his food. Haru coughs, caught of guard and his face tints lightly at the nickname.  _Why am I blushing so much?_ Makoto instantly looks worried, afraid Haru's choking, but then he realizes that _he’s_ the reason he’s coughing and his face pales. “A-Ah, I’m so sorry! I, uhm, I’m sorry,” he squeaks, shirking in his chair. Haru recovers after a few moments and finds Makoto’s reaction amusing; someone as tall as he is looks very strange when they try and make themselves smaller. 

 

Haru shakes his head, trying to brush it off. Part of him finds the nickname cute, but most of him, and the part he listens to, is just annoyed. He doesn’t want that to show, however, so he leaves it at that.

 

Makoto bites his lip, struggling to find something to say. “Oh, I never told you my name, did I?” Haru gives him the blankest expression he’s ever given anyone. 

 

“It’s on your name tag, _Makoto_.” 

 

Makoto stays quiet for a long moment, actually looking _horrified_ , before he looks down at his shirt slowly to see that yes, _of course_ he’s wearing his Starbucks name tag. His face grows bright red, and he opens his mouth but he’s not saying any words. He’s just staring at Haru and stammering before he actually groans. “R-Right,” he manages finally, ears bright pink and cheeks flaming hot. Makoto reaches for the cup of water he brought with him, looking for something to do, but he’s too busy looking at Haru that he makes the straw go up his nose instead of in his mouth. He makes an odd nose, something in between an _ow_ and a squeak. He pulls it out quickly, rubbing his nose with a wince. Haru watches with worry, hands itching for something to do, but he doesn’t know how to react in this situation. 

 

“Please don’t look at me,” Makoto whines quickly looking down as his face brightens even more. Haru smirks, covering his mouth and turning his head to the side to hide the twitch of his lips. Makoto is silent for a few moments, probably too embarrassed to speak, until he l looks at his watch and sighs. 

  
“I have to get back to work, but I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asks Haru, standing up and looking down at him. Haru swallows, feeling his heart skip at the look of hope in Makoto’s clear green eyes. 

 

“Yeah.”

 

**Day 5**

 

Haru doesn’t even bother to talk himself out of why he’s really here today; of _course_ he’s here to see Makoto. He feels sort of stupid about it; he barely knows the barista. But he had this… feeling about him that was hard to describe, and besides, Makoto wanted him here, right? 

 

Haru waits in line patiently, taking time to actually read over the menu for once. He notices something moving in the corner of his eye, and looks down to see Makoto waving at him from the counter. Haru blinks in surprise, taking a moment to process that _yes_ , he just waved at him specifically in front of the other customers, and looks away as his face tints lightly. He picks up his hand halfway, giving him a slow, shy wave. 

 

———

 

“Good mo-“ Makoto’s interrupted by a hard pat on the back, startling him and making him jump. His coworker laughs, shaking his head slightly. 

 

“Sorry, sorry! I just wanted to tell you happy birthday,” he says with a grin, nodding at Haru who’s watching them curiously. 

 

_Birthday?_

 

“A-Ah,” Makoto stammers, growing shy at the mention. “Thank you,” he says kindly, giving his friend an embarrassed smile. “Sorry,” Makoto says, returning his gaze to Haru. “How are you this morning?”   
  
“It’s your birthday?” Haru blurts out, surprising even himself but ignoring it. Makoto laughs nervously, scratching his cheek as his face tints lightly. 

 

“Ah yes, it is.” Haru nods, and they continue their conversation like they have for the past four days. 

 

———

 

_This is stupid_ , Haru thinks to himself in annoyance, looking at the small box in his hands. A few hours later, he’s leaning against the coffeehouse, glancing at the door every now and then. He doesn’t know what caused him to do something this desperate, but here he was, cake in hand for the person he barely knew. His heart stops when he sees Makoto nearing the door, buttoning up his coat. He watches as Makoto walks in the opposite direction of himself and groans, thinking it’s a sign for him to just go home. But he manages to push he thought aside and takes a breath, striding towards Makoto quickly with the box securely in his hands. 

 

“Makoto?” Haru watches the taller man pause at his name, turning around with surprised eyes to see Haru. 

 

“Haru? Are you alright?” he asks, apparently thinking the only reason Haru would be here would be because something is wrong. Haru nods, saying nothing for a few moments before biting the inside of his cheek and holding out the box for him. 

 

“Happy birthday,” he mumbles, looking away as his face starts to tint from embarrassment. Makoto’s eyes widen in surprise, looking down at the box to Haru’s face and back again. He takes it slowly, seemingly unsure that it was for him. Haru watches as he opens it, noticing his face light up instantly. 

 

“Oh _Haru_ ,” Makoto says, a warm, breathtaking smile breaking out across his tanned face before he looks at the other man. “I _love_ chocolate cake. How did you know?” he says with a laugh, holding up the box closer to his face to inspect the little details. Haru shrugs, feeling pride blossom throughout his body, though he tries not to show it. 

 

“I guessed.” He bites the inside of his cheek, thinking that Makoto deserved to know the real reason why he picked it out. “It looks sweet. L-Like you,” he mumbles the last part, barely audile, but the hitch in Makoto’s breathing makes it obvious he was heard. 

 

Makoto’s silent for a few moments before he laughs again, a soft, airy, _happy_ laugh. “I can’t believe it. Thank you, Haru,” he says as he closes the box, voice laced with warmth and wonder. “I was just about to grab lunch and head home. W-Would you like to join me?” he asks, giving Haru that same, hopeful puppy dog look from yesterday. Haru bites the inside of his cheek again; he’s nervous now — spending time with Makoto outside of Starbucks seems dangerous. He has the opportunity to learn how difficult he is, how quiet and unresponsive he can be. But Makoto’s giving him that beautiful, warm and inviting smile he’s always shown him, and Haru finds his warmth too much to deny. 

 

“I’d like that.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, bookmarks, and kudos are much appreciated!!
> 
> Find me at - aceiwa-chan.tumblr.com


End file.
